Live review: Paul Simon at Gibson Amphitheatre

Midway through Paul Simon's performance at Gibson Amphitheatre, as the gentle “Peace Like a River” faded into a dissonant piano solo, a fan somewhere in the dark shouted a request – “More gumbo!” – for more tunes with the zydeco feel of “That Was Your Mother,” which a few songs earlier brought the crowd dancing to their feet.

Surely the number that followed, “The Obvious Child,” with its samba-in-the-swamp groove, satisfied that guy's immediate desire. But a thought occurred to us over the course of the night: it's all gumbo, all of these influences and inspirations that bubble up into the unique stew of this legendary singer-songwriter's music. Folk, rock, African, gospel, Brazilian, blues, pop and doo-wop – it's all in there. Just listen, and let the music move your feet and heart and soul.

Simon seemed delighted to be back on stage in Los Angeles for the fall leg of his 2011 tour, playing 25 songs in just over two hours Wednesday night. It was a career-spanning set, from his work in Simon & Garfunkel in the ‘60s to his current album, inevitably satisfying listeners (lots of hits!) while still leaving them hungry and asking “why didn't he play my favorite song?” That's the stellar songwriter's curse.

The opening few songs set the tone for the night, “The Boy in the Bubble” and its up-tempo rhythms segueing into the softer, more lullaby-like “Dazzling Blue,” one of six tunes performed from So Beautiful or So What, his critically acclaimed work from earlier this year.

The martial pattern of the snare-drum opening of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” drew cheers of recognition from fans who mostly filled the amphitheater and shouted out “we love you!” so much that at the close of that number Simon paused to ask, tongue-in-cheek, “Are there any here who don't love me? This is your chance (to say): ‘We really can't stand you, Paul, and never have.'”

No takers, of course. The love fans have for the man and his music was clear, whether for his earlier singer-songwriter work (“Mother and Child Reunion,” “Slip Slidin' Away”) or his forays in the ‘80s into global influences, especially with the landmark album Graceland, which provided six songs on Wednesday.

Simon, who turned 70 a week ago, still possesses a remarkably clear voice, which shined strongly on the more acoustic pieces performed here, notably “My Little Town,” whose complex changes in tempo and rhythm were a particular highpoint.

In a band of this size and virtuosity, with eight players who handled at least twice as many instruments, it can be easy to forget what a stellar guitarist Simon is. But if anyone needed help remembering, proof surely came with the opening song of the encore, “The Sound of Silence,” one of just two Simon & Garfunkel staples played this night (“The Only Living Boy in New York” was the other).

Walking on stage by himself, Simon stood in the spotlight and played the melody line of that most famous song all the way through before beginning to sing it, highlighting its haunting qualities as well as his undiminished skills as a performer. It was a chills-inducing moment, the beauty of the song and the performance bringing a church-like feeling to the venue.

The rest of the two encores turned that hushed moment into a revival meeting, with a group singalong (“Kodachrome”), a hint of gospel (“Gone at Last”) and a tribute to an old friend (a cover of George Harrison's “Here Comes the Sun”).

The night finally wrapped up with the pairing of “Still Crazy After All These Years” and “You Can Call Me Al,” two of Simon's biggest hits. After introducing the band – again, they were superb – Simon clasped his hands together in a gesture of peace and bowed his thanks to the audience, who in turn stood and cheered and applauded, until this American icon waved a final time and was gone.

Main set: The Boy in the Bubble / Dazzling Blue / 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover / So Beautiful or So What / Mother and Child Reunion / That Was Your Mother / Hearts and Bones > Mystery Train (Parker/Phillips cover) > Wheels (Chet Atkins) / Slip Slidin' Away / Rewrite / Peace Like a River / The Obvious Child / The Only Living Boy in New York / Love Is Eternal Sacred Light / My Little Town / Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes / Gumboots

First encore: The Sound of Silence / Kodachrome > Gone at Last / Here Comes the Sun (George Harrison cover) / Crazy Love, Vol. II / Late in the Evening

Second encore: Still Crazy After All These Years / You Can Call Me Al

Photo, from the U.K.'s Glastonbury festival in June, by Dave Hogan, Getty Images.

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